Bacon Tweets Harbaugh Extension: Process stalled, but trending positively.
And the second tweet, which UM won't let me embed fancy, so here's the LINK and the old school
Now I've been told: "Breakthroughs in the last couple days. Things trending very positively."
— John U. Bacon (@Johnubacon) December 6, 2023
Of course, we have heard that before. We know President Ono and the Regents want it done, Jim Stapleton doesn't, and the athletic department has dragged its feet. We'll see what happens
My confusion is why Jim Stapleton has any push or pull at all with regards to Harbaugh's contract, and why Athletics would be dragging their feet on this.
December 6th, 2023 at 11:56 AM ^
Hey Jim S, we saved you the commemorative pen that our favorite Jim used to ink a $144mm contract. Hail Team 144 and their $144mm Head Coach!
December 6th, 2023 at 1:12 PM ^
Let Jack Klompus hound Stapleton.
December 6th, 2023 at 1:37 PM ^
"We can't have two Jims on the same team!"
December 6th, 2023 at 12:02 PM ^
Well at least we know who pulls Wardes strings.
December 6th, 2023 at 12:02 PM ^
At some point, this board will wise up and recognize that JUB just makes things up and then phrases them in a fashion that is so high level and devoid of details that he is impossible to refute. I think he is a detriment to our fanbase.
December 6th, 2023 at 12:06 PM ^
Avatar checks out.
December 6th, 2023 at 12:09 PM ^
I think you are putting it more harshly than I would. I don't think he's a detriment, but I do think his updates are always quite vague and only appear to provide any information of substance, when most of the time, the real state of things, and the important matters at hand, are not addressed.
In this case, he's never addressed whether Harbaugh wants to sign an extension or not, only that Ono and the Regents do.
who cares about that, we have always known that. what we've not gotten at any point is what the holdup is on harbaugh's side.
December 6th, 2023 at 12:47 PM ^
Except for about a month ago, when Harbaugh said "I'll be here as long as Michigan wants me here". There have been several other comments that require a bit of parsing, but all point to him very much wanting to remain head foosball coach. At Michigan.
Wake me up on New Years day.
December 6th, 2023 at 12:19 PM ^
So we've found Stapleton's burner account.
December 6th, 2023 at 1:57 PM ^
I despise Stapleton.
JUB is the same as every ESPN reporter this board has slandered over the last months. He packages information (or just speculates) in a fashion designed to increase his own prestige, marketability and audience. Period, end of story. Perhaps even more directly because he writes books.
I think he is particularly odious because he knows this fanbase well and knows our pressure points which he leverages expertly. It's a bid sad but this whole board falls for it constantly.
December 6th, 2023 at 2:17 PM ^
But I thank god daily that you’re here to keep us on track! We gullible fools are in your debt.
December 6th, 2023 at 8:45 PM ^
You're a cynical, negative Nancy who can't distinguish anymore between people who support this program and detractors. Or You're just a troll. Hard to tell
December 6th, 2023 at 12:05 PM ^
i think the main question which he artfully avoids is whether harbaugh wants to sign an extension.
December 6th, 2023 at 1:30 PM ^
They wouldn't be negotiating if he didn't want to extend. And please don't come back and say it's some gamesmanship by JH until he can get an NFL offer. The man doesn't seem like he's ever been anything but direct about this stuff and doesn't seem like he ever wants to be involved in a PR battle with UM.
December 6th, 2023 at 12:08 PM ^
My confusion is why Jim Stapleton has any push or pull at all with regards to Harbaugh's contract, and why Athletics would be dragging their feet on this.
give me intel someone
December 6th, 2023 at 12:10 PM ^
I wonder if his source said “AD has dragged his feet” and it’s AD Warde instead of AD athletic dept
December 6th, 2023 at 12:26 PM ^
And the rumor that Warde and Stapleton were having lunch recently....
December 6th, 2023 at 12:34 PM ^
Well, ward and Stapleton are buddies. They were out to dinner in Detroit the week of thanksgiving again.
Connecting the dots is not difficult.
December 6th, 2023 at 1:07 PM ^
If Warde is an impediment to this deal with Harbaugh, it is time to move on from Warde. A good athletic director is easier to find than a good football coach.
December 6th, 2023 at 2:01 PM ^
Id be perfectly happy with a mediocre AD l
December 6th, 2023 at 2:10 PM ^
Anyone with a functional vertebrae is a vast improvement at this point.
December 6th, 2023 at 2:54 PM ^
I think someone in a wheelchair could easily do better than Warde.
December 6th, 2023 at 3:26 PM ^
It's really hard to imagine Warde, because of Stapleton, holding up a contract that every other person connected to Michigan, including people higher than Warde, want done. He gets nothing out of that except anger and possibly fired. Makes no sense. He may not love Harbaugh but to try to act unilaterally on something as big as keeping a coach is job suicide.
December 6th, 2023 at 4:13 PM ^
Wendy.... stop making sense.
Did anyone make sense when the German's bombed Pearl Harbor?
December 6th, 2023 at 5:01 PM ^
I agree up to a point. Here is why I don't believe it would job suicide for Warde Manuel: there are people across the college landscape who don't like Harbaugh and would empathize with Warde in that regard if Warde doesn't like him or would rather move on from him. Alot of ADs don't like when its perceived that a coach has more power than them. I believe Warde could get another job faily quickly if Michigan were to let him go.
December 6th, 2023 at 12:28 PM ^
Signgate or any other scandal should not have had any influence on the contract whatsoever. Jim is either a man of integrity or he isn't and the man has been with the program for nine years and with the University much longer.
You can always fire a coach with cause after the signing if it is necessary.
December 6th, 2023 at 7:00 PM ^
Ono on Harbaugh:
"He's a man of honor....I just want to say very, very clearly it's no secret to people that I trust the guy."
Ono wants this extension done.
December 6th, 2023 at 12:44 PM ^
This makes no sense. If Ono and the regents and Harbaugh all want it done, it should be done. Warde is irrelevant
December 6th, 2023 at 12:51 PM ^
Harbaugh doesn't want it done until he knows it's his only available option. Thus the delay.
December 6th, 2023 at 1:13 PM ^
I saw something else that said Harbaugh doesn't want to rock the boat and invite further punishment from the NCAA by signing the contract during an investigation. Reading between the lines, whatever is going on with Stapleton is probably what is holding everybody up.
December 6th, 2023 at 2:14 PM ^
That sort of feels like it's exactly something harbaugh would enjoy doing
December 6th, 2023 at 2:30 PM ^
Getting himself suspended for more games next year?
December 6th, 2023 at 12:45 PM ^
It's not happening. Gird yourselves accordingly.
December 6th, 2023 at 12:51 PM ^
Double Bet
December 6th, 2023 at 3:06 PM ^
Is that how it works though?
December 6th, 2023 at 6:33 PM ^
Triple Dog BET
December 6th, 2023 at 12:51 PM ^
Unfortunately, based upon all available evidence I think I have to concur with this sentiment.
Furthest thing from an insider, but it seems pretty obvious to me that Jim will be coaching in the NFL next year- which to be clear I do NOT want to happen. This has been a golden age of U of M football, faux Stallions scandal be damned. Best to enjoy it while it lasts, gentlemen.
December 6th, 2023 at 3:03 PM ^
Lol, based on what? We as a fanbase have no idea what is going on. JUB is saying negotiations are ongoing, which if you read the posters, that’s accepting a talk of formalities on both sides. It’s simply blind leading the blind at this point when figuring out what JH is going to do. Unless you believe in JUB or the other insiders. Which is kinda hard based on signgate sources. Let it play out and if JH goes, wish him the best and Moore is the guy.
December 6th, 2023 at 3:55 PM ^
Based on-
(A) He has not signed a contract extension, which I have a hard time believing would not be done already if that's what BOTH sides wanted. Takes two to tango, etc.
(B) Long-standing NFL interest with several potentially appealing options available this time around (LA Chargers being one).
(C) The not insignificant chance he could be suspended for a portion or the entirety of next year over what I think we all universally agree is complete bullshit. Plus possibly facing scholarship reductions and other nonsense penalties.
(D) Harbaugh probably just getting tired at this point of dealing with the NCAA.
(E) The possibility of him finishing on the mountain top with a national championship.
So there's five bullet points I gave you in response to the always intellectually stimulating, "Lol, based on what?"
I'll repeat that I don't know, just like you don't know. That's my opinion, it's a message board. I don't actually disagree with anything else you wrote.
December 6th, 2023 at 4:18 PM ^
Counter points:
A- Belief that he is waiting to sign to avoid anymore limelight like others have said
B- This will always come to surface yearly based on the desire to win a SB potentially and current contract essentially doesn’t have a buyout. (Thank you, Warde)
C- I’m not sure why someone would accept a suspension for preemptive measures if they’re planning on going to the NFL? Couple that with all of UM giving a rallying cry for the support of JH (exclusion of JS and Warde apparently). Harbs has wanted to feel the love and I’m not sure how he doesn’t given a few bad apples.
D- valid point. No argument
E- Not according to pundits or Vegas. Wait and see. Won’t know if it happens. If they do win it all, I’d say he moves on and probably should because of point D.
My point, is there isn’t any factual evidence. Merely speculative at this point as to what he’s going to do. It’s a Michigan fan forum and we’ll have opinions. I agree with your stance but there is also compelling evidence for him to stay. Just like last year, we do not know what JH is thinking or doing and I do not think you can put trust in anyone unless it comes from Harbaugh himself or the school.
December 6th, 2023 at 1:04 PM ^
IT IS HAPPENING. All caps means it is true.
December 6th, 2023 at 12:46 PM ^
Stapleton would likely be persona non grata with the program except he is friends with Warde.
This friendship will likely lead to Warde being fired and I'm confident that the new AD hire will not be a friend of Stapleton's!
December 6th, 2023 at 1:05 PM ^
If JS did anything to jeopardize the good thing going at UM, your prediction is going to come true.
December 6th, 2023 at 1:40 PM ^
It seems more likely that his role on the infractions committee—one he should recuse himself from in this case—is the whole game. He could threaten to bring the proverbial hammer OSU twitter is so adamant is coming down if JH is re-signed and let it all go if they move on from him. Nixon level shit.
December 6th, 2023 at 1:45 PM ^
Fire Warde and introduce the new AD...CONNOR MERTHAFERKIN STALLIONS. The manifesto prophecy is fulfilled. Lifetime contract for Harbaugh and ask IT to block all future communications from the ncaa.org domain.
December 6th, 2023 at 2:04 PM ^
Man this is such bullshit. I have friends. I dont write rec letters or affect my job if they're not good at their jobs. Men i dearly love and thoroughly enjoy spending time with, but it's braindead to sacrifice my work performance to give them an undeserved job or influence!
December 6th, 2023 at 12:47 PM ^
Let us hope that Santa and the regents have more sway than Warde does in this matter.
December 6th, 2023 at 12:48 PM ^
I enjoy Bacon’s commentary and thoughts on the UM program, and his vast historical knowledge of all things Michigan, but I take his “insider” knowledge with a grain of salt. All we need is an article on Yahoo Sports saying that Jim Harbaugh had a sit down meeting with the owner of the Carolina Panthers while he was on the road recruiting, and Bacon will tweet out that “Nobody knows anything.” He should stick with his commentary and history lessons, and leave the insider scoops to others since he usually reverts to his “Nobody knows anything” line.